Immigration continues to be a hot-button topic for American political debate. Core to this issue has been the influx of workers from Latin America. Every industry with a physical labor element has been impacted by Spanish-speaking laborers joining the workforce. For the equine industry, that is most obvious among grooms. From high-priced Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky to boarding barns in California, the grooms at barns more often than not will originate from a Latin American country.
Regardless how you feel about the subject, immigrant laborers are here to stay. Both legal and illegal
immigrants in these circumstances provide cheap labor that each industry is unwilling to relinquish.
These workers can become an advantage for your hoof-care practice. Being able to communicate with the workers will increase your efficiency and save you money. For example, a trusted groom can keep an eye on a horse you’re concerned about. Or that groom can administer thrush treatment, saving you a trip to the barn.
Learning a foreign language is not an easy. However, knowing a few key sentences can improve your ability to communicate with Spanish-speaking grooms. Developing these relationships will provide you with eyes, ears and hands for you when you’re away from your clients’ barns.
Building relationships with Spanish-speaking grooms can pay off through additional help, such as someone who can hold the horse while you work with it.
English to Spanish
1) Please bring me the horse from the paddock.
Spanish: Por favor, tráeme el caballo del potrero.
Variable: Need the horse to go back to its stall? Substitute “establo” for “potrero.”
2) Please take this horse to the paddock.
Spanish: Por favor, lleve este caballo al potrero.
Variable: Sometimes you’ll need to refer to the horse by its name. For example, if the horse’s name is “Lucky,” substitute “Lucky for “el caballo.”
3) Apply this ointment to the infected area twice a day for 3 days.
Spanish: Aplique esta crema en el área infectada, dos veces al día, durante tres días.
Variable: The groom is being told to do this “two times.” If you need to increase or decrease the frequency, refer to the number listing in this story.
4) This horse must stay on stall rest for 2 days.
Spanish: El caballo debe permanecer en el establo, de reposo, por dos días.
Variable: You can change the number of days by substituting any of the numbers in the chart.
5) Please hold the horse while I work with him.
Spanish: Por favor, sostenga al caballo mientras yo trabajo con él.
Variable: If it is a mare, substitute “ella” for “él.”
6) Give the horse this supplement with its evening feed.
Spanish: Dé al caballo este suplemento junto a su alimento nocturno.
Variable: If it is a morning feed, use “matutino” instead of “nocturno.”
7) This horse lost a horseshoe. If you find the horseshoe, please save it for me.
Spanish: Este caballo perdió una herradura. Si usted encuentra la herradura, por favor guárdela para mí.
8) If you notice a problem with this horse’s gait after I leave, let the trainer know about it.
Spanish: Si usted nota un problema con el modo de andar del caballo después de mi partida, hágaselo saber al entrenador.
Variable: If the trainer or horse owner needs to be referred to by name, substitute the name for “al entrenador.”
9) Keep this horse separated from the others.
Spanish: Mantenga a este caballo separado de los demás.
10) Pick the mud from the hooves when you bring the horses into the barn.
Spanish: Limpie el lodo de las pezuñas cuando lleve a los caballos al establo
Variable: If gravel is the issue, substitute “la grava” for “el lodos.”
Numbers
1: Uno
2: Dos
3: Tres
4: Cuatro
5: Cinco
6: Seis
7: Siete
8: Ocho
9: Nueve
10: Diez
11: Once
12: Doce
13: Trece
14: Catorce
15: Quince
16: Dieciséis
17: Diecisiete
18: Dieciocho
19: Diecinueve
20: Veinte
Resources
1.) Translation. www.translate.google.com (free) or www.spanishdict.com/translation (free).
2.) Pronunciation And Phonetics. www.studyspanish.com/pronunciation (partially free) or www.spanish.about.com/od/spanishpronunciation/Learn_Spanish_Pronunciation.htm (free).
3.) Lesson Guides. There are several paid services that will teach you Spanish. To evaluate these options, search on the subject with your preferred search engine.
